About 3,000 people including Secret Service agents, US government officials and journalists would accompany the President. Several officials from the White House and US security agencies are already here for the past one week with helicopters, a ship and high-end security instruments.

In a time when the president himself has said that Americans need to get used to tightening their belts, he decides that an entourage to India at great expense to the taxpayer is the right thing to do.

Use technology, Mr. President. Video conference. Practice what you preach.